Thomas Sheridan's 'A Discourse Being Introductory to his Course of Lectures on Elocution and the English Language' is a seminal work that explores the relationship between elocution and the English language in the 18th century. Sheridan's book delves into the importance of proper pronunciation, tone, and delivery in communication, shedding light on the significance of effective public speaking. Written in a scholarly and detailed manner, the book serves as a valuable resource for those interested in the history of elocution and language studies. It also emphasizes the role of rhetoric in shaping persuasive discourse and effective communication strategies. Sheridan's literary style is characterized by its clarity and precision, making the complex subject matter accessible to a wide audience. This book is a must-read for students of literature, linguistics, and communication studies, offering insights into the art of eloquence and the power of language in shaping perceptions and influencing opinions.

By tracing the traditional progression of rhetoric from the Greek Sophists to contemporary theorists, The History and Theory of Rhetoric illustrates how persuasive public discourse performs essential social functions and shapes our daily worlds. Students gain a conceptual framework for evaluating and practicing persuasive writing and speaking in a wide range of settings and in both written and visual media. This new 6th edition includes greater attention to non-Western studies, as well as contemporary developments such as the rhetoric of science, feminist rhetoric, the rhetoric of display, and comparative rhetoric. Known for its clear writing style and contemporary examples throughout, The History and Theory of Rhetoric emphasizes the relevance of rhetoric to today’s students.

In the middle of the eighteenth century, English literature, composition, and rhetoric were introduced almost simultaneously into colleges throughout the British cultural provinces. Professorships of rhetoric and belles lettres were established just as print was reaching a growing reading public and efforts were being made to standardize educated taste and usage. The provinces saw English studies as a means to upward social mobility through cultural assimilation. In the educational centers of England, however, the introduction of English represented a literacy crisis brought on by provincial institutions that had failed to maintain classical texts and learned languages.Today, as rhetoric and composition have become reestablished in the humanities in American colleges, English studies are being broadly transformed by cultural studies, community literacies, and political controversies. Once again, English departments that are primarily departments of literature see these basic writing courses as a sign of a literacy crisis that is undermining the classics of literature. The Formation of College English reexamines the civic concerns of rhetoric and the politics that have shaped and continue to shape college English.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Introduces new scholars to interdisciplinary research by utilizing bibliographical surveys of both primary and secondary works that address the history of rhetoric, from the Classical period to the 21st century.